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Winter fare with a view

The once-tired hotel has undergone a multi-million dollar transformation and is well on track to relive its glory days of the 1990s.

I visited the hotel to try out the Straits Cafe and was pleasantly surprised that it too is riding the waves of the recent changes.

Gone is the dated decor that once filled the lobby, restaurant and rooms. Instead we were greeted by a smart, modern and stylish look that was the theme throughout the night.

Now on to the food: menu selections including fresh Australian oysters, Shark Bay crab cakes, chorizo croquettes and pork belly were some of the choices available for an entree, while crisp Norwest barramundi and pot roast black angus beef cheek were two options for mains.